A typical longitudinal seat adjuster is designed in such a way that said adjuster withstands the normal loads directed in the longitudinal direction which are produced during normal use by an occupant of the vehicle seat. However, in the event of a pile-up, in the case of what is known as a crash, much higher forces act on the longitudinal seat adjuster.
A vehicle seat or a locking device for a longitudinal adjuster for a vehicle seat is known from DE 100 50 957 A1. For longitudinal adjustment, the vehicle seat comprises a seat rail pair consisting of an upper rail and a lower rail, through the two walls of which the teeth of a locking element reach on each side of said locking element.
The longitudinal adjustment devices of vehicle seats must be dimensioned in such a way that, in the event of a crash, the seat rail pairs do not tear open, and the locking means do not open. Otherwise the vehicle seat detaches from the vehicle structure in the event of a crash and is accelerated. Sudden braking can cause injuries to the seat user.
DE 35 36 545 A1 therefore proposes providing an additional locking means comprising a crash-sensitive inertia pendulum as a trigger.
It is known from DE 100 46 204 A1 to provide bolt elements which are normally inoperative and, only in the event of a crash, interact to form a non-positive connection and/or positive connection in order to additionally lock an upper rail and a lower rail using the additional locking means.